It is known that in the optical range quadratic nonlinear effects in solids appear at relatively low radiation intensities, while the radiation intensity required for a significant manifestation of cubic effects is much higher and can reach the damage threshold values. In this regard, quadratic effects dominate over cubic ones. In this work, it is analytically demonstrated that in the terahertz range the intensities required for the manifestation of cubic effects are much lower than in the optical range. In addition, their contribution to nonlinear effects can exceed the quadratic one by several orders of magnitude.
The dependences of the refractive index of a congruent LiNbO3 crystal cut perpendicular to the x and z axes on the radiation frequency in the range of 0.25–1.25 THz are presented. These dependences are presented for different values of the crystal thickness - 0.52 mm, 1 mm and 2.21 mm. A comparative analysis of the obtained dispersion curves with the results from other works is presented. The comparison was carried out by estimating the dispersion broadening of a THz pulse with time in the process of simulating its propagation in a medium with a given dispersion. It is shown that a 1.5-cycle THz pulse is broadened in media with dispersions found in other works, which does not correspond to experimental data. In accordance with this, it was concluded that the dispersion curves for congruent LiNbO3 from the considered works do not agree with the real values of the refractive index in the THz frequency range.
In this paper we present the results of both experimental and theoretical study of terahertz waves energy enhancement during liquid jets double-pulse excitation. The dependence of the terahertz radiation energy on mutual ratio of the pre-pulse and signal pump energies is investigated. Temperature dependence in the case of double-pulse irradiation reveals unexpected features displaying both exponential growth and decrease with a 18° optimal value.
Terahertz pulse time-domain holography (THz PTDH) is an ultimate technique both for the measurement of object properties in the THz range and broadband wavefront sensing. In this proceeding, we reveal the key principles of the technique, including the layout solutions for recording a collimated THz wavefront in the form of spatio-temporal profiles. The possibilities to investigate ultrashort THz field propagation dynamics based on the data measured in one transverse plane is discussed. The evolution for both transverse and longitudinal components of the electromagnetic field thus can be estimated. We illustrate these possibilities on the example of Bessel-Gaussian pulsed THz beam propagation formed by an on axicon lens.
We show experimental results on the generation of terahertz radiation in at jets of modified water and various liquids. We compare the change in the efficiency of the THz waves generation with a change in the pH and kH values, as well as the salt concentration in water and the fat level in milk. Dependences of the terahertz radiation energy on the pump pulse energy are demonstrated.
In this work, we considered mixtures of ethanol and water in the form of jets as samples for THz generation based on laser-induced filamentation. The dependence of the output energy of terahertz radiation on the concentration of ethanol in water was experimentally studied. It is shown that the energy grows linearly, which can be explained by an increase in the ionization energy due to the linear replacement of low-efficient charge carriers (water) with highly-efficient (ethanol). The dependence of the THz generation on the optical angle of incidence on the mixture jets was also demonstrated. The results of this study can be further used to create universal source of terahertz radiation.
ITMO University and the University of Rochester became close partners several years ago. One of the first outcomes of this mutually beneficial partnership was the creation of International Institute of Photonics and Optical Information Technologies led by Prof. Sergei Kozlov and Prof. Xi-Cheng Zhang. Universities have created a double Masters-degree program in optics in 2014, and several ITMO students have been awarded degrees from Rochester. At the same time ITMO University organizes Summer Research camp in Photonics for University of Rochester students. Students spent two weeks in the Northern Capital of Russia learning about the emerging practical applications of femtosecond optics, terahertz biomedicine and quantum information technologies.
The program of workshops on photonics and optoinformatics was created at Department of Photonics and Optical Information Technologies in ITMO University by specialists in scientific and educational areas. These workshops are carried out for students of the best schools of Saint-Petersburg specialized in physics and mathematics, such as Gubernatorial Lyceum and Presidential Lyceum, and best schools of Russia. Every year about 500 of school students come to our workshops, including Annual summer educational practice.
ITMO University, the leading Russian center in photonics research and education, has the mission to train highlyqualified competitive professionals able to act in conditions of fast-changing world. This paradigm is implemented through creation of a strategic academic unit ITMO Photonics, the center of excellence concentrating organizational, scientific, educational, financial, laboratory and human resources. This Center has the following features: dissemination of breakthrough scientific results in photonics such as advanced photonic materials, ultrafast optical and quantum information, laser physics, engineering and technologies, into undergraduate and graduate educational programs through including special modules into the curricula and considerable student’s research and internships; transformation of the educational process in accordance with the best international educational practices, presence in the global education market in the form of joint educational programs with leading universities, i.e. those being included in the network programs of international scientific cooperation, and international accreditation of educational programs; development of mechanisms for the commercialization of innovative products – results of scientific research; securing financial sustainability of research in the field of photonics of informationcommunication systems via funding increase and the diversification of funding sources. Along with focusing on the research promotion, the Center is involved in science popularization through such projects as career guidance for high school students; interaction between student’s chapters of international optical societies; invited lectures of World-famous experts in photonics; short educational programs in optics, photonics and light engineering for international students; contests, Olympics and grants for talented young researchers; social events; interactive demonstrations.
Information transfer through single-mode optical fiber by means of quasidiscrete spectral supercontinuums in the 1300- to 1620-nm wavelength range has been demonstrated. Using 16 spectral lines in each supercontinuum at the repetition rate of 70 MHz allows for a 1.1-Gb/s information transfer rate to be achieved. It has been shown that the proposed information transfer method can achieve a 0.8-Tb/s information transfer rate using existing telecommunications equipment.
In the present paper research results of broadband THz radiation influence in a range 0.1÷2 THz on some biological tissues
are presented. Theoretical modeling of THz radiation propagation through the fat sample is performed. Experimental
absorption spectra of samples of vegetable oil, nail tissue, skin tissue and blood are obtained. Spectra of these tissues differ
in a range of 0.1 ÷ 2 THz. Also they depend on water content. From these samples vegetable oil has the best transmission.
It has been shown that during the few light field cycle pulses propagation in the nonlinear dielectric media with
dispersion it is possible for the highly intensive light kern slowly changing with the distance passed in the media
to be formed. The transverse sizes of the kern can be comparable with the central wave length. The difference of
the phase velocity of the kern and its surrounding light shell makes it possible for the phase surface branching to
occur.
A nonlinear wave equation suitable for describing a propagation of a light pulse containing few oscillations of a
strong electric field in isotropic dielectric media is deduced. It describes non-resonant dispersion of linear refractive index
and non-inertial third-order non-linearity as well as inertia of dielectric non-linearity of electron nature, including
parts caused by energy state population dynamics and free electron motion.
The dependence of the conditions for the dominance of different physical factors in the self-action of few-cycle
optical pulses in dielectrics on the intensity, duration, and spectrum of radiation has been theoretically analyzed. It is
shown that the larger the pulse width and the central wavelength, the stronger the effect of plasma nonlinearity. For example,
for a quartz glass in the field of pulses with a duration of 10 fs and a central wavelength of 780 nm, this nonlinearity
mechanism is dominant at intensities exceeding 3 - 1013W/cm2.
The method of optical signal generation with repetition rate frequency of about 30-50 THz based on interaction of two femtosecond laser pulses propagating collinearly in transparent nonlinear media with different group velocities is presented. It was shown that for high input pulses intensities their interaction may result in formation of quasi-discrete spectrum with temporal structure consisting of many ultrashort pulses of near rectangular shape. It was demonstrated that generated sequence could be used in information technologies.
Fresnel formula for the normal incidence of light is generalized to the case of reflection of broad-spectrum radiation off a dielectric with nonresonant dispersion and nonlinearity. Considering reflection of few-cycle light pulses off a bloomed dielectric interface, we show that self-division of a reflected pulse can occur at low incident intensities, while substantial modification of the pulse shape including self-compression is possible at higher intensities.
In present paper we enhance the model of polarization response in field of extremely short pulse by a pseudoclassical description of multiphoton ionization. The system of material equations now includes a part related to a ionization nonlinearity of the optical material. We also obtain a new wave equation, which describes extremely short pulse propagation in tnmsparent dielectric when electromagnetic field intensity values approach to a boundary of dielectric destruction beginning. The equation is used for modeling computations, numerical analysis of pulse propagation. Also new expressions for media refraction index are derived from the equation.
An equation describing the generation of reflected radiation during the propagation of high-intensity extremely short pulses in a nonlinear optical waveguide is derived. The phenomena taking place during the strong self-inducted changes of the temporal structure of the forward wave are studied. It is shown that the duration of the backward pulse is much greater than the duration of the forward pulse and that the main part of the energy of the backward wave is carried by lower frequencies than the central frequency of the forward wave.
We investigate an extremely complex mechanism of spectral supercontinuum generation at the propagation of intensive femtosecond laser pulses in microstructure (photonic crystal) fibers beyond the slowly-varying envelope approximation. We discuss and compare theoretical approaches grounded on the considerations of field and spectral evolution of the pulses. We present new nonlinear spectral equation, first-order in propagation coordinate, applicable for the study of femtosecond supercontinuum generation in microstructure fiber with arbitrary linear dispersion. We demonstrate a very good agreement to independently published experimental data found in numerical simulations. We study formation and evolution of few-cycle solitary waves under the effects of Kerr and Raman nonlinearities.
A new wave equation for the electrical field evolution of intensive femtosecond light pulses in isotropic transparent media is presented. It is demonstrated that a 'light bubble' can evolve from a few-optical cycle pulse propagating through a fused silica bulk. The two-octave spectrum supercontinuum is theoretically observed.
Ultrabroadening of spatial spectrum of a self-focusing monochromatic optical wave in a medium with cubic nonlinearity is considered. The formation of optical beams with cross section on the order of a wavelength is considered. Backward self-reflection phenomenon is found to be the fundamental cause for the limitation of nonparaxial self-focusing.
We report experimental and theoretical investigation of supercontinuum generation in broad spectral range from 500 nm to 2500 nm induced in water and bulk fused silica by 1mJ 150-fs pulses at 780 nm excitation wavelength. We find that experiments may be modeled theoretically by considering Raman- and Kerr-type nonlinearities such as transient stimulated Raman scattering, parametric four-photon mixing, self-phase modulation and cross-phase modulation.
New nonlinear equations for the dynamics of spatial spectrum of a self-focusing monochromatic wave in a medium with cubic nonlinearity is derived in the nonparaxial approximation. The formation of optical beams with cross section on the order of a wavelength is considered. Backward self- reflection is found to be the fundamental cause for the limitation of optical self-focusing.
In present paper we introduce a new model of interaction of laser radiation and dielectric medium. The model correctly describes the dispersion of third order nonlinear medium polarization response in a wide spectral range and is suitable for analysis of propagation of intensive extremely short laser pulses with a very wide spectrum. Also we include into this model a description of plasma-related effects, which are noticed when intensity of pulses increases high enough to initiate free electron generation process. A new wave equation, describing wide-spectrum femtosecond pulse propagation in nonlinear medium with induced plasma nonlinearity, is obtained.
A new integro-differential equation with the only first order derivative describing diffraction of arbitrary transversely nonuniform light beam in the homogeneous transparent medium is obtained. At fist, it is introduced for the case of linear media. The ones approximation of the forward propagation is used. It is shown that derived equation in the case of light beams with the great diameter transforms to the well-known parabolic equation, thus our equation is a generalization of the parabolic equation for a case of nonparaxial light beams. The new approach is generalized also for the case of media with the cubical nonlinearity. It is applied for an analysis of the self- focusing phenomenon.
The transverse size of a beam is defined as the cross- section size containing the certain part (sigma) of the full energy of the whole beam. It has been proved that under such definition the form of a beam with a given size and maximum length of waist is not Gaussian. The beam with radial symmetry and the maximal length of the waist synthesized as superposition of orthogonal Gaussian modes with the use of Chebyshev polynomials. The intensity transverse distributions are found first for all certain parts of energy 0 < (sigma) < 1. It is shown that intensity distributions are smooth enough while four-five lowest Gaussian modes are used and depends considerably upon value of fixed energy share.
The equations describing the propagation dynamics of optical pulses consisting of several electrical field cycles and pulses with spectrum bandwidth comparable with the central frequency are presented. The numerical simulation of nonlinear optical phenomena observed in isotropic media with pumping by the pulses with the spectrum in area of the normal group dispersion is carried out. The spectrum ultrabroadening of a short pulse with the temporal broadening, the self-induced changes of the pulse polarization, the simultaneous generation of several Stokes, anti-Stokes components, the third harmonic and sum and difference frequencies generation with self-phase and cross- phase modulation are considered.
On the basis of the analysis of the wave equations for an electrical field of radiation and without use of slowly varying envelope approximation the self-action of femtosecond light pulses in transparent media is investigated. The results of numerical simulation of spectral supercontinuum evolution, accompanying temporary broadening of intensive pulses with a spectrum in the range of normal group dispersion of medium both with only electronic nonlinearity, and with simultaneous electronic and electronic-vibrational nonlinearities are presented. The opportunity of compression of pulses with supercontinuum spectrum in light formations consisting of one cycle of an electric field is predicted. It is shown that spectral superbroadening of the elliptically polarized radiation is accompanied by nonuniform rotation of a polarization ellipse.
A new integro-differential equation with the only first order derivative describing diffraction of arbitrary transversely nonuniform light beam in the homogeneous transparent medium is obtained. At first, it is introduced for the case of linear media. The ones approximation of the forward propagation is used (so the case of backward propagation is excluded). It is shown that derived equation in the case of light beams with the great diameter transforms to the well-known parabolic equation. The new approach is generalized also for the case of nonlinear media. Thus, the new truncated wave equation describing the diffraction of nonparaxial light beams in the nonlinear media is obtained.
The reflection of intense laser pulses consisting only of several light field cycles from nonlinear, isotropic and transparent dielectric media is theoretically investigated. It is shown, that the spectrum of the reflected pulse is enriched by odd harmonics and at close linear refraction indices of bordering media the duration of the reflected pulse can become less significant than the duration of incident pulse. It is shown, that the intense refracted wave has a strongly asymmetrically broadened spectrum in nonlinear medium.
The new wave equations describing nonlinear propagation of optical pulses containing only a few oscillations of the light field in isotropic dielectric media have been obtained.
The new wave equation describing nonlinear propagation in isotropic dielectric media of any polarization optical pulses containing only a few oscillations of light field has been obtained. The polarization self-action of such extremely short pulses is shown to be in change of orientation of their electrical field amplitude vector along the direction of propagation proportional to a square of a field amplitude and the rotate velocity of amplitude vector.
The duration of an optical signal is defined as the time interval in which a certain part of its energy is contained. It has been proved that under such definition the form of a signal with a given duration and maximum length of dispersion broadening is not Gaussian. Time profile of such signals has been obtained as a superposition of orthogonal symmetric Hermitean modes. Such signals have also been shown to be smooth functions of time. Furthermore, it has been shown that the expansion converges rapidly and is considerably well represented by the first few modes.
In the present paper the laser beams with Cartesian symmetry having the minimum diffraction divergence in near and far fields are synthesized. The spatial sizes of these beams in near field as well as the angular size in far field have been defined on the share of total beam energy that could be transmitted within this size. It is shown that the laser beams with minimum near-field diffraction divergence are well approximated by coherent superposition of a few number of lowest symmetric Hermite-Gaussian modes. The transverse distributions of light waves with minimum far-field divergence are described by prolate spheroidal functions.
The duration of an optical signal is defined as the time interval in which a certain part of its energy is contained. It has been proved that under such definition the form of a signal with a given duration and maximum length of dispersion broadening is not Gaussian. Time profile of such signals has been obtained as a superposition of orthogonal symmetric Hermitean modes. Such signals have also been shown to be smooth functions of time. Furthermore, it has been shown that the expansion converges rapidly and is considerably well represented by the first 5 modes.
An analytical investigation of a grating pair pulse compressor is reported including any orientation of the grating planes with respect to each other. The results have been applied to the design of chirped pulse amplification schemes on large lasers. Practical tolerances have been calculated to ensure optimum fidelity in the recompressed pulse.
Method of analysis of self-action of intense light pulses of several light wave oscillations in dielectrics is proposed. The system of material equations based on the density matrix formalism allowing for both the electronic and electronic-vibrational (Raman) nonlinearity is obtained. The results of the numerical experiments on the self-action of extremely short light pulses in fused silica is presented.
In the present paper the polarization self-action of light in arbitrary oriented cubic crystals of 432, 43 m and m3m groups are considered. The equations of evolution of light polarization parameters in this case are derived. The detailed analysis of SICP effects under the propagation of light wave along the all symmetry axes is presented. The eigenpolarization of light wave in nonlinear crystal are found. The dependence of nonlinear effects caused by SICP (self-induced rotation of self-induced deformation of polarization ellipse, self-induced oscillation of polarization ellipse or establishing of stationary state of polarization) on orientation of crystal's axes with respect to wave vector, nature of nonlinearity of refractive index (relations between components of nonlinear susceptibility tensor) and input state of light polarization is determined.
It was established that backward-scattered wave reflectivity from a signal wave intensity in neodimium-doped and undoped KGd(WO4)2-KGW crystals has different dependencies. The interference of electronic and Raman two-photon resonances in neodimium doped KGW crystals are described.
A method for the self-action analysis of wide-spectral extremely short light pulses (ESLP) in fibers is presented. The method takes into account the dispersion of linear and cubic nonlinear susceptibilities in the transparency range of the media. The density matrix formalism was used to obtain material equations describing the ESLP self-action in fused silica. Light pulses with a duration about several light-wave oscillations are shown to be compressed in the nonlinear medium.
Coherent Stokes pulses are generated under amplification of the
spontaneous Stokes noise radiation appearing in intense laser pulses
Raman scattering. Radiation intensity selflimitation under the
selffocusing in Raman media is corresponded to ejection of excess
power to divergent coherent Stokes components.
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